“When you did receive the right information, youstillchose him. You’restillchoosing him this very second.” I laugh beneath my breath, bitter, even vicious. “Tyler is so precious to you, isn’t he? God, what must it be like tofuck up so badly but still have the sun shining out your ass. In your eyes, Tyler can do no wrong. Yet me? Deep down, there’ll always be some part of you that doubts me, no matter how hard I’ve worked to prove myself to you.”
“Felix, that’s not true.”
My amusement continues. “Remind me. What’s that cute little saying you and Tyler have? Oh, that’s right.It’s the two of us, always.”
Harper doesn’t bite back. She’s quiet for a moment before stepping right up to me, holding my gaze. I tell myself to step back. She’s too close. Too tempting. But I can’t make myself move, desperate to pull her closer. My breath shudders and I gulp hard, restraining myself.
“You can act like an asshole all you want,” she whispers. “I know the real you and I’m not giving up on us. The three of us are supposed to be together. You know it.”
My breath shudders, my voice a struggle to find. “If we’re supposed to be together, why does it hurt this fucking much? The pain I felt from you two nearly killed me. I won’t allow either of you back into my life. I’m done with this conversation and need to return to the party.”
Being strict with myself, I break away from Harper. As soon as I’m back inside the apartment, I come face to face with Tyler. This night keeps getting better and better.
“Felix—” Tyler calls my name but I walk by him before he can get another word out.
He grabs my arm. I act fast, shoving him away, drawing the attention of a few nearby guests.
I smile at the onlookers. “Playful brotherly banter. No issue here.”
They don’t stare for long and resume socializing.
Careful to not cause more of a scene than I already have, I straighten my jacket and lower my voice to Tyler. “I told you to stay the fuck away from me.”
“We need to talk.”
“I spoke to your girlfriend. She can relay any important details to you.”
“Fuck, man. Hear me out for one goddamn minute.” Tyler groans, angered with me. “You and Harper are all I care about. I was protecting you both and I willneverapologize for that. Dad and I saved you from… prison.” His voice lowers on that last word, not wanting to be overheard.
“Marrying my girlfriend, huh? That’s protecting us?”
“She was pregnant and scared.”
I roll my eyes, tired of this bullshit excuse. “We could have dealt with the pregnancy together. But you went and made this all about the two of you. I have never been so blindsided in my life, and by you of all people. My own blood.”
“I still wanted you to be with us. It was never my intention to take her from you?—”
“Yeah?” I laugh, stepping closer, taunting the bastard. “If you never wanted to take Harper from me, if you’re so loyal to me, then prove yourself now. Step down. Break up with her.”
Tyler glares at me. A muscle in his jaw tics. “Fuck this. You’re a real asshole when you want to be.”
“At least I’ve never stabbed my brother in the back.”
Walking off, I grab a champagne from a nearby waiter and finish it in one shot, then escape to the far side of the party, attempting to get a handle on my temper.
I scan the living room, needing to locate Harper and Tyler to make sure I’m nowhere near them for the rest of the night. When I find them among the guests, their eyes are already on me. My brother is hugging Harper. She’s curled into him and their fingers are weaved. The two have always been so fucking inseparable.
I hate it. I hatehim.
I hate that Tyler is the one who fucked up and hasn’t reaped any of the consequences.
I hate that it was so easy for Harper to choose Tyler and commit the rest of her life to him.
But what I hate most of all is this massive hole in my life without them. Tyler and Harper are so deeply ingrained within me that I can’t see myself ever truly moving on from them.
CHAPTER TWO
FELIX
